The Adepts of Kolima Forest
by Daidairo
Summary: AU. Snow had always felt so alone since her mother died. Her father was fighting in the war, and her stepmother wanted to kill her. So she escaped to a cottage in the Kolima Forest, not knowing that she would forge bonds strong enough to save the world.
1. Chapter I: Snow

The Adepts of Kolima Forest

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AU. Snow had always felt so alone since her mother passed away. Her father had gone to fight in the war, and her stepmother had never seemed to love her. Now, she wanted to kill her. So she escaped to a cottage hidden deep in the forest of Kolima, not knowing that among the seven Adepts, she would find true friendship and forge bonds strong enough to save the world.

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Written for Raitei, this is a second tale from the collection of Golden Sun Fairytales we are going to make. Heaven help us finish writing our long fics that are always being left alone because we procastinate. ^^;

I don't own Golden Sun, nor do I own Snow White.

…Oh, um, Snow IS a character from Golden Sun. She'll change her name in the next chapter. And um, Piers is not the prince of the story. ^^;

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Chapter I: Snow

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Queen Marian sat by the window, her fingers working nimbly as she embroidered a lovely white handkerchief. She sighed as she worked, wishing she had a child for whom she could knit sweaters, but she had never yet conceived a baby since she married the King of Imil.

As she looked out of the window at the brilliant blue sky, the peaceful ocean, and the pure white snow, Queen Marian smiled at the beauty of the world, and wished wistfully that she had a daughter who could share this magnificent sight with her. A daughter who could look up at the azure sky and chuckle with happiness. A daughter who could sail on the sea during summers. A daughter who could play in the snow that piled up in the castle yard, and wave at her mother as she sat sewing by the window.

"I wish, oh I wish, that I could have a child with hair as blue as the sky, eyes shining like the sea, and skin as white as snow," she murmured.

Fate must have heard her, for in the following year, she gave birth to a daughter. The newborn child had hair as blue as the sky, eyes that shone like sunlight on the sea, and skin nearly as white as snow, but for the rosy pink that gave her a healthy, happy appearance. And all of Imil cheered, for at last their kingdom had an heir.

"She must be named Snow, for the stars say that it is a lucky name for the princess," Akafubu announced. He was an old shaman who lived in the castle since King Arthur's grandparents were around. No one knew what he really was, but showed him respect, for they knew he had magical skills and arts no one could comprehend.

Queen Marian sighed then, she would prefer a nice, ordinary name; like 'Mia', for instance. But King Arthur listened to Akafubu, so the little princess was named Snow.

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It was Snow's first birthday, and she was lying in her cradle.

"My dear little daughter, you shall have everything of the best," Queen Marian said. So she gave her a beautiful jewelled bracelet and clasped it around her wrist.

Snow gurgled happily and raised her tiny fingers to her mother.

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It was Snow's second birthday, and she was crawling around her room. Queen Marian smiled as she reached for a beautiful white sash that was hanging from her table. Holding tightly on to the sash, she stood up for the first time, before the sash and her wobbly legs gave way, and she sat down suddenly on the floor. The sash fell around her.

"My clever little daughter. You will become as beautiful as the sash you hold," Queen Marian said.

Snow giggled and wrapped the sash clumsily around herself.

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It was Snow's third birthday, and she was running out into the yard. Her nurse, Izumo, ran after her, calling.

"Princess, Princess! It is dangerous out in the snow! Come back, come back!"

But Snow ran on, laughing delightedly, as she saw the servants' children skating on the frozen pond.

"I play too!" she declared, jumping out onto the surface of the pond. The other children stopped in horror as she slid right out to the middle of the pond, where the ice was thinner than the edges. Cracks appeared upon the ice, crunching alarmingly. Queen Marian came running out, and she gave a scream of terror when she saw Snow sitting in the middle of thousands of tiny cracks.

"Come back, come back!" she wailed, leaping forward. Half a dozen servants grabbed her arms at once, protesting that it was not safe, and Her Majesty must not put herself in danger. Under their helpless eyes, water seeped through the cracks and began to soak through Snow's clothes.

Snow shivered slightly, then raised one mittened hand and brought it down onto the sinking ice with a plop. Suddenly, the water around her froze solid, leaving her safely seated on the surface.

Queen Marian collapsed onto the ground, giddy with relief and happiness. Snow had inherited Psynergy from her grandparents.

"My talented little daughter, you will be a master of Water Psynergy one day," Queen Marian said.

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It was Snow's fourth birthday, and she was standing by her mother's armchair, her eyes wide with worry.

"Mother? Will you be able to play with me today?" she asked. Queen Marian smiled weakly at her.

"Not today, my dear. The doctor says that I must not go out today, for the weather is cold, and I am weak."

Snow's lips quivered, and she looked down. "But it's my birthday."

"Oh, my darling daughter…" Queen Marian sighed. Her slender fingers reached for a flowered comb from the table, and she lifted Snow onto her lap.

"Let me comb your hair, my dear, darling child. You will look beautiful on your birthday, as you greet Father when he returns. Then he will smile at you and call you his pride, won't he?" she said with a loving smile. Her fingers shook slightly as she drew the comb through Snow's long blue hair, working the tangles out gently.

"Father says he's going to read to me the stories of the old virtues," Snow said, happy again. Queen Marian let the silky blue hair slide through her hands.

"Yes, my daughter. You will grow up with all the old virtues, and become a splendid princess," Queen Marian whispered.

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It was Snow's fifth birthday, and she was standing beside her mother's bed, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Mother!! Mother!!"

"Don't cry, my darling. I want to see you smile before I go," Queen Marian whispered. She slipped her an apple from the basket beside them, and tried to smile. "Here, let us eat happily."

"I don't want you to go!" Snow protested, knocking the apple aside as she hugged her mother close.

"Be good, Snow… be good…"

"But Mother…!!"

"Hush, my dear… Grow up strong… Look after your father, and our people…" Queen Marian coughed. Though her hair looked dead and her skin was lifeless, her eyes were filled with overflowing love as she looked at her only daughter, and her trembling fingers were gentle as she stroked her hair.

"I don't want to be alone, Mother…"

"Mother will be here by you always, so be good… because…"

The door flew open, and King Arthur rushed in, a wild look on his face.

Queen Marian smiled faintly.

"Because I love you."

She spoke no more.

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It was Snow's sixth birthday, and she was hiding behind the door in King Arthur's study.

"This cannot go on, Your Majesty," Akafubu insisted. "The Princess is not yet old enough to assume the duties of the late Queen, yet someone must be able to run the castle properly."

King Arthur sighed, running his fingers through his black beard.

"Very well, Akafubu. I will marry again."

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It was Snow's seventh birthday, and she stood quietly in the hall, dressed in a richly embroidered dress of white. King Arthur nodded formally as he led the lady with purple hair forward.

She was very beautiful. Long, shiny purple hair coiled on her head. Bright purple eyes that shone like the stars. High cheekbones and a finely chiseled nose, and deep red lips. She was like a goddess, one that smelt of violets.

"Princess Snow, this is Lady McCoy. She will soon become our new Queen… your new mother."

"Good day to you, Princess Snow," Lady McCoy said in a voice as silken as the skin of a snake.

Snow gave her a friendly smile and curtsied prettily. She did not notice how Lady McCoy watched her graceful movement with a hard eye.

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It was Snow's eighth birthday, and she knelt down in the courtyard, drawing patterns in the snow. She had no more lessons, for the Queen had thought that it was a waste to spend money hiring a governess, when Snow had already learnt how to read and write, and do sums.

"A princess does not need to learn astronomy, nor does she need to work scientific experiments," the Queen declared. "She must instead have music and dancing lessons."

But none of the music and dancing instructors that came to the castle impressed the Queen, so no one had been hired, and Snow had nothing to do.

As she looked into the chicken yard, she saw that their drinking trough was empty. Raising one hand, she made a tiny raincloud appear, and droplets of water began to fill the trough. When the trough was full, she stepped back, satisfied, but the cloud still did not disappear, until she waved her hands again about ten times.

If Queen Marian was still alive, she would be able to teach her to control her Psynergy. Snow sighed, and turned to go.

Then she saw the admiring eyes of three children before her. They dashed forward and grabbed her hands, pulling her to the kitchen.

"Princess, you can use Psynergy too!"

"Wait till Ma hears about it!"

Ma was the head baker, Minnie, with a little Psynergy in her blood and practicality in her veins. She popped a bun into Snow's mouth, gave her a rolling pin and told her to make herself useful. Snow stood and copied Minnie's actions, and at the end of the day, had a birthday cake made by herself.

She felt warmed that day, not by the kitchen, but by kindness.

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It was Snow's ninth birthday, and she was polishing the bannisters of the great hall. It was best to make them as shiny and as slippery as she could, because then she could slide down them later on with Susa and Kushinada. As long as the Queen didn't spot them.

But then Susa popped his head around the corner. "Pst! Snow! She's coming! Hide quickly!"

Snow grabbed the duster and the jar of polish and slipped under the staircase at once. But there were already people underneath it.

"Happy birthday, Snow!" they chanted. Uzume pushed a simple but delicious looking cake towards her.

"Minnie and I baked it together," she said with a gentle smile. Minnie beamed. Susa pushed a strong, well-made broom into her hands, while Kushinada put a little sewing kit into her lap.

"It's not much, I know, compared to all those royal gifts from the nobles you've got upstairs," Kushinada said anxiously.

"But we wanted to give you something useful, you know?" Susa added. "I made the entire broom myself, see."

Snow grinned happily.

"This is the best birthday I've ever had. Thank you."

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It was Snow's twelfth birthday, and she was standing before her father among a group of others summoned.

"It is official. Troops from Prox are marching here even as we speak," King Arthur said heavily. "I will bring our army to face them. We cannot fight near Imil, or our people will get caught up in the battle as well."

He named the captains who would be travelling with him to fight the Proxian army. The rest, he added, would remain in Imil to protect the people.

"The Queen will be in charge while I am away. Listen to her. Seek her opinion in the decisions you make. Akafubu will advise her," he said. Akafubu bowed low, as the Queen nodded, her beautiful face grave.

The King turned to leave, then paused in front of Snow. He had not spoken to her since he put her in the Queen's care.

"You look more and more like your mother each day, my daughter," he murmured. Giving her a swift one-armed hug, he put her down and swished out of the room before his feelings got the better of him. Snow watched as his cape disappeared out of the door.

It would be a long, terrible war, she knew.

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It was Snow's fourteenth birthday, and she was hiding behind the curtain in the great hall with the other awed servants. The Queen was seated on the throne, with a long line of merchants before her. She raised a beautiful amethyst necklace and admired it, before dropping a bag of gold into the waiting hands of the merchant before her. He bowed and left, jiggling the bag.

As a second merchant stepped forward with a lovely dress, and a third with a silken fan, Snow watched the gold of the treasury drain away.

She wished she was clever enough to argue with the Queen.

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It was Snow's sixteenth birthday, and she was cleaning the great hall with Kushinada and Susa. The Queen had had yet another of her big balls the day before, to show off her new gown, her new cape, her newest collection of rubies, and the crown which had had its blue sapphires replaced by amethysts, because "they match my eyes". All the nobles were impressed, and each of them told the Queen how beautiful she was.

Having lived all her life among artificial beauty, Snow was feeling rather tired of it. She felt that the golden light of the sunset, the green lawns of the gardens, and the crystal waves of the ocean was far lovelier than her stepmother.

But no one argued with the Queen, or they would end up like that butcher who had dared to criticise the Queen's fan.

Hung up above the city gates.

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It was Snow's seventeenth birthday, and she was out pruning the garden with Uzume. The Queen frowned as she watched from her window, for it was not proper to have a princess prune the garden, and any passing nobles would assume it was the Queen's fault.

She made a note to tell Akafubu, when the shaman knocked and entered the room, dressed in his usual brightly coloured robes.

"What a coincidence, have you learnt to read my mind?" she asked carelessly. Akafubu bowed low, then motioned for two men to carry a wrapped parcel into the room. They set it down, then bowed themselves out.

"This, Your Majesty, is a magic mirror. It has a spirit in it that will always tell you the truth," Akafubu announced. "It is a gift from my people of Kibombo, and I hope you will like it."

He bowed again, then exited. Curious, the Queen unwrapped the brown parcel to reveal a large, shining mirror. It had an intricately carved frame of silver, and purple kunzites set at the top. Twin phoenixes flew up either side, wings spread, tails entwining at the bottom. It was beautiful, and the Queen smiled with satisfaction.

She hung it up on the wall in place of her old, plain mirror. Standing back, she gave a nod and allowed her thoughts to wander to what Akafubu had said about magic…

"Oh it couldn't be," she said with a tinkling laugh. "I always thought that old man was not sane."

Tossing her head up, placing her hands on her hips, she tilted her head towards the mirror.

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall  
Who in this land is fairest of all?"

Nothing happened, and she chuckled knowingly. Then a purple light filled the surface of the mirror, before the silhouette of a face appeared on it.

The Queen fell backwards onto her bed, her eyes wide with shock. Then the face spoke.

"You, my Queen, are fairest of all."

It was a quiet, girlish voice that spoke. The Queen was recovering from her surprise.

"You are telling the truth?"

"I am not allowed to lie, for the magic that keeps me here makes me tell the truth," came the reply.

Satisfied with this answer, the Queen smiled.

Akafubu was truly a wizard.

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It was Snow's eighteenth birthday, and she was sitting in the garden carving a sculpture out of ice. She made a perfectly shaped replica of Kushinada and a swan, and smiled upon her masterpiece. The merchants walking by were enchanted by her youthful beauty and the look of happiness in her face as she sat by her statues of crystal.

When the Queen accepted a purple sapphire from one merchant, he offered her a lovely blue turquoise necklace as well.

"T'would go well with Princess Snow's eyes," he explained eagerly, hoping to be well paid. "She's grown up to be so beautiful, hasn't she, Your Majesty?"

The Queen pursed up her lips without speaking. The man was thrown from the castle with all his wares, and warned never to return.

The next day, Snow was confined to the keep of the castle. Not knowing why, she sat down in the music room and tried not to cry. Uzume snuck in to play for her on the harpsichord, and soon Snow was happy again, dancing for her friend with graceful gestures she learned from the water.

Young Lord Madra, who was passing by, was drawn to her sweet face and happy smile. He watched as she talked to Uzume, chuckling softly. So he went to the Queen and asked for her hand in marriage.

"For she is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen," he declared.

That day, the Queen stripped him of his lands.

The next day, Snow was confined to her room. Izumo tried to comfort her, but she could not stop crying.

"What did I do wrong? What have I done to deserve this?" she sobbed.

"Princess, please stop crying," Izumo pleaded.

"She will not let me out! Not see Kushinada, or Susa, or Uzume, or Minnie…" Snow gulped. "I will be all alone… again…"

"No, you won't, Princess! Old Izumo will be here! Do stop crying, Princess!"

But Snow continued to cry. She had not cried since Queen Marian passed away, and all the feelings of being abandoned then came flooding in now. She had no mother, her father was away, and now her only friends in the world were forbidden to her. Loneliness overwhelmed her, and she cried as if her heart had broken, as indeed it had.

She cried so hard that the servants whispered among themselves. She cried so hard that Izumo was at a loss of what to do. She cried so hard that the ladies who had never liked her said sneeringly that she was acting like a child rather than an eighteen year old woman.

Until the Queen came in.

"Stop that noise at once!" she commanded.

Snow's cries softened to a whimper.

"You are acting like a spoilt baby. You should take your punishment gracefully, and without complaint, like a princess."

"But what have I done to deserve this punishment? What did I do wrong?" Snow asked. The Queen did not answer. She turned to Izumo.

"You have failed to teach the Princess how to behave. Pack your things and leave immediately," she ordered. Izumo's eyes widened in fear.

"No, no! You cannot dismiss Izumo! She has been my nurse all these years, and…" Snow protested.

"You are too big for a nurse now. Behave yourself," the Queen said stiffly. Then she left the room.

Izumo looked away. Then she smiled at the princess.

"Be good, Princess," she said. Then she fled from the room.

Snow lay down and cried softly. She knew then that it was useless to defy the Queen, or the people she loved would suffer.

From then on, she lived like a puppet, staying in her room, eating because she had to. She obeyed all of the Queen's commands whenever the Queen visited her, which was rare.

"Stand up straight."

"Look ahead."

"Keep your eyes modestly lowered."

She was fated to obey the Queen in whatever she did. For the rest of her life.

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It was spring, and the Queen was wearing her new spring clothes.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall,  
Who in this land is fairest of all?"

The Queen smiled as she sat in her favourite armchair, waiting expectantly for the answer.

The spirit in the mirror sighed. She knew what was being done to the princess, and she didn't like it. She knew what would be done to the princess if she gave this answer today. But already her lips were opening to reply, and she hated herself as she spoke.

"You, my Queen, are fair; it is true.  
But kind young Snow is fairer than you."

Fire flashed in the Queen's eyes. She stood up abruptly, hatred marring her beautiful face.

"So! That sly little fox wants to be fairer than me?" she hissed. "It will be centuries before she can hope to win me!"

She swept out of the room. The spirit of the mirror watched her go, then buried her violet eyes in her hands and cried.

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Snow was sitting quietly in her room, embroidering a dove onto her new bedspread, when the door opened, and the Queen came in.

She stood up at once, putting aside the bedspread, and curtsied to the Queen, keeping her eyes lowered.

Then the Queen stepped closer and enveloped her in a hug. Snow's eyes flickered with surprise at the touch.

"My dear, I'm afraid… I've been wrong," the Queen said softly. She pulled back and smiled a charming smile at her stepdaughter, taking her hands in both of her own.

"I shouldn't have kept you hidden in here. You've become so pale, so miserable…" The Queen hesitated, then squeezed her hands. "But now it will change."

Snow stared at her, still stunned. She did not know what to say, for this… this kind lady was not who her stepmother had always been.

"Young girls require sunlight, and fresh air, and fun, not a lifetime of being locked up. I see that now. Please forgive my foolishness, and I hope you will accept my apologies," the Queen said. Again, her kind, charming smile. It had been so long since anyone smiled at Snow, and she felt something warm in her heart stir.

"Of course, my Queen. It is forgiven and forgotten," she said readily. The smile widened, and became, if possible, even lovelier.

"Splendid! My dear girl, I have arranged for you to have a picnic in the forest today. It should be fun, to go out and breathe the fresh air, and feel the sunlight on your face, and watch the baby deer as they dance with their mothers!"

"Out… into the forest? Away from the castle?" Snow gasped. The Queen beamed.

"Yes, yes! It will open a whole new world to you, wouldn't it? I need to talk to the farmers today, but I have hired an escort for you, and he will look after you! You need have no fear, Princess Snow, and I hope you will enjoy yourself today."

The Queen waved a maid in, who set a pretty but sturdy dress on Snow's bed. Snow immediately saw that it was made of tougher material than the silks and satins she had been made to wear. This was for the outdoors. The kind consideration of her stepmother finally pierced her bewildered mind, and she smiled for the first time at the Queen.

"Thank you, my Queen," she said softly, her eyes shining with hope. The Queen smiled back.

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Piers stroked the head of his horse thoughtfully. It was not often that one was invited by the Queen to take the Princess out. In fact, he was pretty certain that there was a rule about having a chaperone somewhere. But he had been paid well, and his lunch for the day had been provided, and he would be able to go to the beautiful woods of Kolima, so he was happy.

The Queen came out of the gates towards him, leading a young girl by the hand. She was dressed in warm, sturdy clothes, so he knew she had to be the Princess Snow that no other commoner had ever seen.

Blue eyes. Blue hair. Like his own. Piers saw the Princess give a start when she saw him. Evidently, she was surprised at his appearance too.

Could she be a Mercury Adept like himself? Not every human with blue hair and eyes had Psynergy, but there was a chance. Adepts were not very well liked by normal humans, because they feared their powers, so Piers had always kept his abilities hidden.

He bowed as the Queen introduced him to her daughter, and she nodded graciously at him. Then a grey mare was led up by the stablemaster, and as Piers made to assist her in mounting, the Princess put one foot in her stirrup and sprang lightly up to sit sidesaddle. She smiled at Piers for the help she did not need, and took hold of her reins.

So this was not one of those silly ladies that giggled. The day had just gotten brighter. Piers vaulted onto his own horse, and led the way out of Imil, wondering if Princess Snow could hold an intelligent conversation.

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Piers was a very nice young man, riding at her pace and inquiring after her health. And he had blue hair and blue eyes like her own. Like Queen Marian's. Snow had never seen anyone else with blue hair and blue eyes.

She kept quiet as they rode through the countryside, her eyes taking in everything around her. Snow had never been out of the castle, so she had only heard of and read about the whole new world that she was now in. She watched in fascination as the farmers hoed their land. She watched as the dairy ladies drove their cows along. She watched as they left Imil, and went past the town of Bilibin.

She watched as the townspeople walked around, chattering noisily. She watched as the merchants and traders bargained about food and wares. She watched the troubadours play a lively jig, as dancers swayed around with silken scarves. She watched as a magician took a rabbit from his hat.

Piers smiled at the wonder on her face.

"It is the first time Your Highness has been out of the castle, hasn't it?" he asked.

"Yes. It is all so new and exciting," she replied. Then she turned to watch a fire-eater, and gasped as he swallowed the fire. Not because it was a wonderful trick, but because she could see the circles of Psynergy surround the man.

"That… Psy… He…" she muttered, pulling her mare to a stop. Piers eyed her thoughtfully.

"Princess, can you see his Psynergy?" he asked.

"Yes, but I don't understand. I thought Psynergy was only to create wa…" Snow stopped suddenly. She stared at Piers, startled. Piers smiled, then nudged her mare on.

"I, too am an adept, Princess. You need not worry about speaking with me."

They rode on in silence until they came to the Kolima Forest. It was extremely large, with beautiful trees of green. Warm golden light flitted through the canopy of leaves, casting a comfortable glow around the entire forest. Even their horses whinnied with pleasure as they trotted through the woods.

When they reached an empty clearing, Piers stopped his palomino mare and dismounted. Spreading a large piece of cloth on the ground, he took the lunch basket from his saddle and motioned for Snow to sit down. Unsaddling both horses, he gave each one a gentle pat on the rump, and they moved away to crop the long, lush green grass of the forest.

"Won't they get lost?" Snow asked.

"They'll come when they're called, don't worry," Piers replied.

They ate in comfortable silence at first. The food prepared by Kushinada and the other cooks were delicious. Rabbits came out to play near them, deer bounded past them, and small birds came to peck up the crumbs. It was a setting straight from a fairytale, and Snow felt peaceful and happy as butterflies fluttered around her.

Piers finished first and lay down with a grunt. Something rustled in his pocket then, and he remembered the piece of parchment that the Queen had given him when she handed half his payment over.  
_  
"Read it when you get to the forest,"_ she had instructed. Piers reached into his pocket, when an acorn landed on his nose.

He sat up in a hurry, forgetting all about the note, and saw Snow grinning at him.

"Don't go to sleep, lazybones," she said. "I'd like to talk for a while."

"Um, sure," Piers said, rubbing his nose. "What would you like to talk about?"

"Just now, that fire-eater… He was using Psynergy, wasn't he?" she said hesitantly. "But I thought Psynergy was made only to create water, and ice."

_Aha,_ thought Piers. "What you speak of, Princess, is the Water Psynergy. You and I are Mercury Adepts. But there are Adepts of other elements. That fire-eater was one of them."

"Other elements?" Snow repeated.

"That's right. This world is made of all four elements; Fire, Water, Wind and Earth. There are Adepts that draw power from each of the elements; Mars, Mercury, Jupiter and Venus respectively. We all have different abilities from each other," Piers explained.

"Oh."

A rabbit ran over Snow's lap and disappeared into the bushes.

"What kinds of Psynergy do you know?" Snow asked. "I can freeze things, and make it rain, and heal little wounds, but that's all."

"Frost, Douse, and Ply," Piers recited. "I can do that, and create diamonds of ice, and cure poisons…"

"Will you show me?" Snow asked eagerly. Just then, Piers stood up, his eyes grim.

"Quiet, Princess. Something's not right," he said. Puzzled, Snow obeyed, moving behind him. Piers scanned the trees of the forest.

"What's wrong?" Snow whispered.

"The animals. They're gone. It's too quiet," he murmured, eyes still scanning furiously for any sign of movement.

There! It crashed into the clearing suddenly with a large roar, standing on both hindlegs.

"A Mauler!" Piers reached towards his saddle and pulled a sword out of his sheath with one swift movement. Racing towards the bear, he struck at its left hindleg. Blood spilled from the cut as the Mauler roared in anger.

"Piers!"

"Stay away, Princess!" Kolima Forest was usually peaceful and safe, but once in a while, monsters like this would show up. Piers slashed at it again, but his first attack had missed a vital spot, and the Mauler was on its guard. It smacked his sword away with one mighty paw and knocked him to the ground. Piers cursed under his breath as he rolled away to safety before the Mauler could squash him.

Then he noticed that the note from the Queen had fallen from his pocket. It was lying open in front of him.

_"Kill the princess. Bring me back her heart and her liver."_

Piers froze.

"Piers! Behind you!" Snow waved her hands frantically. The water from the grass below the Mauler froze suddenly, and the Mauler tripped. Piers rolled away again and raised his hands. More ice froze, trapping the Mauler to the ground.

"Princess…" he gasped. "Run."

"What?"

"Run, now!! You'll be killed otherwise!"

"But you did it, the bear's not moving any…"

"The Queen's after your life!"

The bear thrashed its forepaws and howled in agony.

"She can't be," Snow said numbly.

"It's true!! She wants me to bring her your heart and liver. Run away, Princess, before it's too late!" Piers yelled. The Mauler broke free of the ice and leapt to its feet.

Snow took one step backwards.

"But…"

"Run!"

As the Mauler charged at Piers, Snow turned and ran, deep into the forest of Kolima.

"Diamond Dust!"

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She ran. Not knowing where she was going, not knowing what she was going to do, she simply ran. Having believed that the Queen was kind, that the Queen understood her… Having had her hopes raised, she did not know how to react to the betrayal.

Snow did not want to think, so she ran. Her mind blank, her heart empty of all except fear, she simply ran on. The forest grew darker as she ran deeper. The trees became taller, like a tower. The calls of the animals had disappeared, and the sinister silence grew louder.

More trees flashed before her eyes, and when everything became black, Snow collapsed.

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"Awaken, little one."

"Awaken."

Snow blinked, and opened her eyes. She saw branches, leaves, and a face. She was cradled by hard roots and soft grass.

"Where… where am I?" she whispered. Then all the thoughts came flooding to her.

Snow wept. She sat up and covered her face with her hands. The Queen had betrayed her. No, she had never wanted her for a daughter in the first place. She had been kind and friendly because she wanted Snow to go to the forest, so that she could kill Snow.

And now…

Snow was alone again. Alone, without a home, for she could not return to the castle. Alone, without a family, because she had no family. Alone, without friends, for her friends were back at the castle.

"Little one, why are you crying?"

Snow flinched at the sound. She lowered her hands and looked around fearfully. There was not a single living soul in sight. Who had spoken to her?

"Here, little one. Up here," The voice sounded amused, but kind. Snow looked up. A face was smiling at her from the tree trunk.

She nearly screamed, but her voice stuck in her throat.

"Don't be afraid of me, little one. I am Laurel, a spirit of the forest. I guarded you while you were sleeping. Will you tell me why you are weeping so sadly?"

Her eyes were kind, and her lips were smiling. Snow wanted to disbelieve her, wanted to run away from her, because she didn't believe that anyone could be kind to her, after being deceived by the Queen. But somehow, she _knew_ that Laurel was truly good. That Laurel's smile was genuine, that her soulful green eyes were as gentle as they seemed. That she had nothing to fear from this beautiful tree.

So she talked to Laurel about her escape from her stepmother. She told Laurel that she had had everything taken away from her; her friends, her nurse, her home. She talked about her loneliness, her sudden hopefulness this morning, the desolate despair later when she realised that the Queen did not love her. She had never felt so alone, so tired, and so confused, before. And she was hungry too, she realised.

"I… wonder what death is like," she whispered. "I don't like it, because Mother looked so tired when she approached it."

"Your time is not up, little one. Not yet. Dry your eyes and listen to me," Laurel said gently. One thin branch brushed a teardrop from Snow's face.

"Not far from here, deep in the forest, there is a home waiting for you. It has food and a comfortable bed, and friends too, if _you_ are willing. All you have to do is believe, and keep on hoping."

Laurel's branches raised Snow from her roots.

"Go, little one. Life may seem terribly weary, but storms will always pass, and the sun will shine again. Go safely on. The trees of Kolima Forest bless you."

Snow nodded, a little dazed.

"Why… Why are you helping me?" she asked.

Laurel smiled. "Why do I help my saplings grow? Why does the wind blow?"

Snow walked on in the direction Laurel pointed.

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It was a cottage, built from stone, with a straw thatched roof. A little stable and a small pen lay on one side of it, and a wooden shed lay on the other side. Situated in a beautiful little clearing, it had a sandy path from the front door to the little wooden bridge across the silvery stream some distance away. The path from the bridge disappeared into the trees.

She walked down the path cautiously and knocked on the door of the cottage.

"H-hello? Anybody home?" she called. When she received no reply, she took hold of the iron doorknob and turned---and to her surprise, it opened.

Stepping in, Snow found herself in a quaint little room with a wooden table and seven wooden chairs. A hearth was sitting unlit in one corner, an empty pot hanging over it. A wooden cupboard stood in another corner. A third cabinet was put up high on the wall with several shelves. A wooden staircase leading to the second floor loomed in the last corner.

On the table were seven empty wooden bowls, each with a wooden spoon inside. Seven wooden cups were placed beside them, and in the very middle of the table, one big wooden bowl had seven rolls of bread in them.

Feeling hungry, Snow reached eagerly for the bread, then stopped, knowing that it would be thievery if she just ate them. But her stomach was growling after all that running, and the bread looked so tasty…

She removed the jewelled bracelet her mother had given her and placed it beside the bowl, wishing she had something else to pay for eating. Then she took one roll of bread and began to eat. It was delicious, and she took another. Then another.

When she had eaten four rolls of bread, she felt tired. Apologising silently to the absent owners of the cottage, she stepped cautiously up the staircase and peered at the seven beds squeezed together on the second floor. It looked small compared to her large room back at the castle, but Snow felt glad that it was different. She lay down on the first bed she saw, which was as soft as snow, and closed her eyes wearily.

When the owners returned, she would apologise for the intrusion.

When the owners returned, she would ask if she could stay.

When the owners returned…

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Seven lighted candles moved through the front door.

"What the…! Hey, look at the table! Some of our bread's gone!"

"Garet, look at this! It's a jewel bracelet!"

"Aha! I _knew_ someone came in when we were out. Those footsteps on the grass explained everything!"

"Hmm…Who with a jewel bracelet would come in here?"

"Maybe it's someone who got lost in the forest, and needed a place to stay."

"You think whoever it is is still around?"

"There aren't any footsteps leading out."

"So you think he could be hiding in here still?!"

"Is it a burglar? Is it a burglar?"

Snow stirred unsteadily as she heard the unfamiliar voices. It was so warm. So comfortable.

Where was she?

She opened her eyes and blinked, just as a startled face appeared above her.

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Um, well. Yeah. My beginnings are always kind of… strange, I know.

Please give me your opinions! Do you like the NPCs I've put in here? How is the flow of the story? Did I write the 'old fairytale style' properly?

Raitei, I hope you've enjoyed this. Guess what pairing it's going to be? =D

Daidairo


	2. Chapter II: One of Us

The Adepts of Kolima Forest

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AU. Snow had always felt so alone since her mother passed away. Her father had gone to fight in the war, and her stepmother had never seemed to love her. Now, she wanted to kill her. So she escaped to a cottage hidden deep in the forest of Kolima, not knowing that among the seven Adepts, she would find true friendship and forge bonds strong enough to save the world.

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Written for Raitei, this is a second tale from the collection of Golden Sun Fairytales we are going to make. Heaven help us finish writing our long fics that are always being left alone because we procastinate. ^^;

I don't own Golden Sun, nor do I own Snow White.

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_  
"Maybe it's someone who got lost in the forest, and needed a place to stay."_

"You think whoever it is is still around?"

"There aren't any footsteps leading out."

"So you think he could be hiding in here still?!"

"Is it a burglar? Is it a burglar?"

Snow stirred unsteadily as she heard the unfamiliar voices. It was so warm. So comfortable.

Where was she?

She opened her eyes and blinked, just as a startled face appeared above her.  
  
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Chapter II: One of Us

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"Who are you?" the stranger asked. Snow blinked again. The room was half dark, illuminated by bright moonlight from the windows. Where was this?

"I… I…"

In a flash, it came back to her. The Queen, Piers, the Mauler, Laurel, and the cottage she was now in. The young man in front of her was, no doubt, one of the owners of this place, and had come to berate her for trespassing.

"I'm sorry for intruding!" she apologised, sitting up quickly. The stranger had to pull backwards quickly to avoid having their heads collide. "It's just that I…"

She broke off at the sound of fast and heavy footsteps, and soon six other people were standing in the room, staring in silent astonishment at her.

"Who's this?" one of them spoke up. He had dark hair tied in a ponytail over one shoulder, and a grim, serious face. Worry lines creased his young face, an illusion that made him seem older at first sight.

"Our mysterious uninvited guest. She must have left that jewelled bracelet," another said. She was the only female in the group, and she eyed Snow with undisguised curiosity. Dark red hair was caught up in a high ponytail at the back of her head, and her fingers were clutched around a lantern, which had brightened up the room instantly when she entered.

"She's not dressed like those nobles though. You think she might have stolen it?" The third speaker also had red hair, but it was fiery crimson in colour, and stood up like fire on his head. He was the tallest of them all, and his arms were the roughly size of a blacksmith's.

"Well, I think she's pretty," the youngest announced. He bore a striking resemblance to the tall one, except that he was a lot shorter and smaller in stature. His bright eyes were friendly with interest as he surveyed Snow.

"I think we should let her speak for herself." The first person who had found Snow in the room had blond hair, blue eyes, and just a little bit of suspicion written across his face. Snow was not offended; she must seem like a thieving intruder. But surely his words were giving her leave to explain.

"I was lost in the forest while having a picnic. I mean, I came to have a picnic, but a Mauler attacked me and my… my escort, so I ran. Then I got lost, and… and I spoke to a talking tree, and it told me to come here for help, so…" The words sounded silly even as they came out of her mouth.

"Laurel spoke to you?" the sixth asked. He, too, had blond hair, but it was longer, and his eyes were violet in colour. Apparently, they knew about the talking tree.

"Yes. Yes, she did. I told her I no longer have a place to go to, and she told me to seek this place, deep in the forest. I really didn't mean to cause any trouble," Snow insisted, clutching the bedsheets nervously. Now they were all staring at her strangely.

The seventh, an old man with long white hair and a bushy beard of the same colour, spoke. "You are an adept?" His black rounded spectacles quivered dangerously as they perched on his nose, threatening to fall.

"Yes, I… How did you know?" Snow gasped.

"Laurel speaks because she has psynergy. Only those with psynergy can hear her speaking," the old man explained.

"Oh…" Snow bowed her head. Did this mean that, if she were a normal human being, Laurel would not have helped her? Would Laurel have left her to starve in the forest?

"What do you mean, you no longer have a place to go to?" the young violet-eyed boy asked. "You mentioned an escort. Surely he would come looking for you, and bring you home."

"I'm afraid it's not possible. I…" Snow was about to tell them about the Queen, but she remembered Piers. He saved her. He had not wished to kill her, and it had brought him pain to be involved in the Queen's plans. She would not involve these innocent bystanders if she could help it.

"Someone is after my life. She is… she's rather powerful where I come from, so if I were to return, I would die."

Again, there was silence.

"We can't let you stay here," the dark haired man said at last.

"Felix!" the youngest boy protested.

"If a powerful woman wants to kill you, she might want you badly enough to come after us, too," Felix said, voicing Snow's concerns. "Leave at once."

"Now, now, Felix, don't be too hasty," the old man said. "After all, Laurel sent her to us. What would she say if she knew that we turned this young lady away without a second word?"

"No, he's right," Snow said. She slipped out of the bed. "I'm really sorry to have caused so much trouble, trespassing here, and eating your bread, and… I'm sorry. I'll go at once."

She had no idea where she would go next, but it was clear that she was not welcome here. Avoiding their eyes, she pushed past the seven and made her way down the stairs. When she reached the door, however, she found it blocked by the boy with violet eyes.

"It's already dark outside. You won't be able to find your way out of the forest. At least stay for dinner tonight," he said with a friendly smile.

"Ivan's right, my dear," the old man said. He took hold of Snow's elbow and guided her to the table, seating her in one of the wooden chairs. "We can talk things over properly before we make a decision. And nothing helps the brain work better than food."

"Great, I'm starved!" the tall male said enthusiastically. The girl rolled her eyes.

"With you, Garet, everything is food," she said, grinning nonetheless.

"But…" Felix started.

"It's decided then!" the old man said, cutting him short. "This lady will be staying with us tonight! And now, let us eat!"

The blue eyed young man had brought out a basket of loaves and several bowls of fruits. He placed them on the table.

"You're probably used to better fare where you came from, but this is all we have to offer. We work until late every day, so we don't have much time to cook dinner," he said to Snow.

"No, no, this is fine," she said gratefully. "Thank you very much." She took a bite from the loaf of bread, and found it rather tasty, even without honey or jam to sweeten it.

Garet, the old man and the youngest boy started to tuck in greedily, but Felix and the girl ate slowly, eyeing Snow with barely hidden suspicion. She felt rather uncomfortable.

A few minutes later, Ivan and the other blond reentered the room with two jugs of milk. They served everyone at the table before Ivan took his seat, and the other one sat down by the hearth. Snow suddenly realised that she was sitting on the seventh chair, and she stood up in alarm.

"Don't worry about it," Ivan said quickly, pulling her back down. "Isaac doesn't mind."

Isaac nodded, giving her something that looked like a smile, but she couldn't be sure because he was chewing on his dinner at the same time. Still feeling embarrassed and awkward, she sat down and ate silently. The milk tasted different from the milk she used to have back at the castle, but it was delicious and sweet, and she secretly longed for more.

Most of the meal was taken in silence, as everyone ate hungrily. They must have been working hard the whole day; Snow noticed that their fingers had calluses and their clothes were covered in dirt. She wondered what their source of income was, but she did not dare to ask, so she just kept quiet.

From the few lines of conversation that passed, she learnt that the old man's name was Kraden, the girl's was Jenna, and the youngest boy was called Aaron. Felix and Jenna were siblings, and their wary glances of Snow did not fade.

When Snow had finished the food placed in front of her, Kraden yawned.

"It's been a long day for all of us. You go up to bed, my dear, we'll do the washing up," he said to Snow with a smile. Snow knew that he wanted to talk to the others about her, but she didn't want to steal a bed from one of them.

"I'll um… sleep in the stable or something," she said.

"Nonsense. You can share a bed with Jenna," Kraden said cheerily. He did not seem to notice the glare Jenna gave him. Snow gulped.

"No, really, I'm fine with the stable," she said. She had once slept with the horses when she was little, and had dreamed of apples and hay. Before anyone could protest, she slipped out of the cottage and went to the wooden stable on the right.

A single shetland pony stood in it, with a dark grey coat and a scruffy mane and tail. She sniffed at Snow curiously before she returned to eating her dinner of corn and hay.

Snow saw a collection of old brushes and combs hanging on the wall of the stable. They were clean and dust-free, which had to mean that they were often used. The pony's current untidy appearance was probably due to the fact that the seven people had her to deal with today.

"I'm sorry," she murmured to the pony. She twitched her ears at Snow, but continued eating. Snow collected the brushes and combs and began to groom it. Susa had taught her once, and she had nearly forgotten, but this tough little pony gave her reminders, tossing its head impatiently when she made a mistake, and whinnying contentedly when she was doing it right.

"Are you trying to be helpful, my pretty?" she chuckled, knocking the comb against the side of the stable to remove dirt and loose hairs. The pony whinnied again, nuzzling her briefly. The gesture was so familiar, so friendly, and reminded her of the happy days when she played with Susa, Kushinada and Uzume in the stables.

So Snow continued to talk. She told the pony about how she had run into the forest to escape from her stepmother. About how her mother had left her, and tears rolled down her cheeks as she spoke. She told the pony about her father, who was always so distant since her mother died. She talked about her friends back at home, whom she could never meet again. She talked about the deception of her stepmother, and cried until she couldn't cry anymore.

But it felt good to talk about everything. She had talked to Laurel, but at that time, she was still feeling rather confused. This time, she was calmer, and could talk about her feelings freely and truthfully. It was a relief, and it felt like a great stone had rolled off her chest. When she finished, she cleaned the brushes and combs and hung them up neatly.

"There. All pretty again," she said. The pony had finished eating, and it gave a harrumph, staring at her with one eye.

_Finally done, huh? You'd have been able to work faster if you'd talked less,_ she seemed to say. It was so much like what Minnie used to say, and Snow gave her a quivery smile. Then she lay down in the pile of clean straw beside the pony and closed her eyes.

Snow was asleep almost immediately, so she did not notice the figure that slipped into the stable and covered her with a warm woollen blanket of brown.

He stood and stared at her for a moment, and when the pony nosed his ear, he stroked her.

"She's had a difficult life too, hasn't she…?" he murmured softly. "Look after her, Fluffy."

Fluffy snorted. _Of course I will,_ she seemed to say. _She's gentle with the mane.  
_  
He chuckled quietly and slipped out, and Fluffy munched happily on an apple.

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When the sun rose, sending its rays into the stable, Snow yawned and stretched, wondering where the blanket had come from. Standing quietly, she crept past the dozing pony and entered the cottage.

No one else was awake yet. Placing the folded blanket on a chair, she decided to make breakfast for the seven foresters. They had served her dinner the night before; she had to do something in return. Though, of course, the ingredients for the food was still theirs, at least she could offer them her cooking services.

Opening the cupboards, she found a dozen eggs (Where had they come from? Snow had not seen or heard any hens around the cottage), leafy vegetables, and slices of bacon (again, no pigs seen or heard). She took down a saucepan and a pot, and began to work.

When Ivan came down the stairs, he was surprised to see Snow boiling hot water in the pot on the hearth. She smiled uncertainly at him.

"Did you have a good night's rest?" she said politely.

"Yes, thank you. What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm making breakfast for you all. Since you were so kind to let me stay over last night, this is the least I can do to return the favour," Snow said. Ivan smiled, his boyish face lighting up.

"That's nice of you. The others should be awake soon. I'll go see to the animals."

He slipped out, and Snow continued with her cooking. One by one, the others were roused by the delicious smells of her handiwork, and stared in surprise at the meal she prepared for them. Bacon, omelette and a tasty broth were placed on the wooden table. Aaron began helping himself at once.

"This… this tastes great!" he said between mouthfuls.

"I'm glad you like it," Snow beamed. Like Minnie, she loved it when people enjoyed her cooking. "Please, all of you, help yourselves."

She felt satisfied when all of them ate with contented expressions on their faces. Except two. But Felix looked a lot less grim than he did the previous night, and Jenna grinned playfully once when Aaron stole half of Garet's egg. Snow felt like giving herself three cheers. She set to work cleaning up the utensils she had used.

She carried them out to the stream and began washing them with a rag from the kitchen. The sun shone as she work, and a gentle breeze tickled her hair. Snow hummed quietly. The forest was serene and peaceful, the only sounds being the calls of insects and the songs of birds.

_I could really get used to this,_ she thought wistfully. But this was not her home, and she could not stay.

When she returned to the cottage, the seven had finished their meal, and the dishes were piled up neatly in a corner. She put the clean utensils back into the cupboard, then she turned to leave.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?"

She turned in surprise. It was Garet.

"I'm… leaving," she replied.

"But why?" Aaron asked, pouting.

"Because I can't stay here. It's too dangerous," Snow answered. "You have all been so kind, and I would never forgive myself if anything happened because of me."

"Well, of course you may leave if you truly wish to, child, but where will you go from here?" Kraden asked.

Snow could not meet his eyes. "I… I don't know. I'll find somewhere, somehow."

"Nonsense. If you have no place to go to, you'll stay with us," Kraden announced.

"Master Kraden!" Felix objected.

"Oh, don't be such a worrywart, Felix," Kraden said, waving a hand. "Laurel sent her to us, didn't she? If Laurel trusts her, we can trust her too."

"No, it's okay. I don't want to be a burden to anyone," Snow said quickly. She took a step backwards.

"You won't be," Isaac said from behind her. She turned in surprise. "Not if you continue cooking."

"We're out working all day long, and we barely have time to cook or clean. If you can do that for us, we'll be glad to have you stay," Ivan agreed.

"Yeah, it'd be nice to have a girl around," Garet said. "I mean, Jenna's hopeless at domestic chores."

"Well, _excuse_ me!" Jenna said hotly, poking him hard in the side. She stared at Snow. "I'm not saying I trust you, but… It'd be safer to have you here than somewhere else, telling other people about us."

"And I like you," Aaron said with a bright smile. Snow smiled back at him.

"Well, that settles it then! This little lady is here to stay!" Kraden said. "Which reminds me, we don't yet know your name."

"My name is…"

'Snow' was the name of the Princess. The name that the Queen always used. Her mother, Queen Marian, had never used it. She always called her 'my daughter', 'my dear', or 'my darling'. But Queen Marian had told her once that she would have given her a different name.

_"Mia. A nice, ordinary, simple name. Wouldn't you have liked that?"_

"Mia. I am called Mia. Thank you for letting me stay."

As they chuckled and chatted and waved her thanks aside, none noticed tears of gratitude welling up in her eyes.

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"You have done well," the Queen said with a beautiful smile. She opened the bag and peered inside. Her face twisted in disgust, and she pulled the bag close, then she handed it to Akafubu. Turning back to Piers, she smiled graciously again.

"Here is the rest of your payment," she said, handing him a small sack of clinking coins. "And remember, not a word to anyone."

Piers bowed silently. Though his expression was blank, his mind was still quivering with anger and disgust. Underneath this beautiful mask was a poisonous adder with a black heart. Thankfully, she could not tell the difference between the heart and liver of a human, and those of a Mauler.

He swore never return to Imil again.

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"Mirror, Mirror, on the wall,

Who in this land is fairest of all?"

The spirit bowed her head in misery.

"You, my Queen, are fairest of all."

"Splendid!" the Queen cried in delight. "And what of Princess Snow?"

"She… I can no longer sense her in this world, my Queen," the spirit said softly.

"Wondeful! Wonderful!" The Queen laughed. She threw the bag Piers had given her onto the floor and stomped on it heavily. "You see, my dear little princess, you can NEVER defy me!"

The spirit wept. She was the cause of the princess' death. And there was nothing she could do about it. The pain would continue to plague her.

And with such an evil queen, there would undoubtedly be more evil deeds committed.

"It would have been better if you had died, Sheba," she whispered to herself, teardrops rolling down her face. "It would have been better if you had never lived."

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Garet wasn't joking when he said that Jenna was hopeless at domestic chores. After taking a closer look around the cottage, Mia could see dust, dirt and cobwebs hidden in every corner. She wrapped pieces of cloth around her hair and clothes, and started the long task of cleaning.

The seven had already left the cottage, so Mia could work without any obstructions. She swept and dusted, wiped and polished, chasing out spiders, ants and lizards. Soapy water sloshed across the floor, and by early afternoon, the front room was clean and sparkling. She beamed with satisfaction and sat down for a quick rest.

Just then, the door opened, and Aaron poked his head in.

"Mia? Are you… Whoaaaaa!!"

"Am I… what?" Mia asked, rather amused at his shocked expression. Apparently, it was not usual for him to see the front room white, dust-free, and sparkling; the floor polished and neat; the cabinets wiped and gleaming; and the hearth clean and soot-free.

"This is… this is like a miracle!! What did you do, attack all grime and dirt and dust like a hurricane?" he asked.

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" Mia said, smiling wryly. Aaron smiled back. He stepped into the room, only to have Mia jump up and push him out.

"W-wha?"

"Your shoes! They're filthy!" Mia exclaimed. "Take them off before you enter!"

Looking somewhat dubious, Aaron obediently removed his light brown boots and placed them neatly by the door before he stepped gingerly into the cottage.

"When we asked you to clean, I don't think any of us were expecting this," Aaron said, looking around in wonder.

"I've only done the front room so far," Mia said. "There's still the rest of the cottage to go."

"It'll be a true miracle if you can get Garet's corner looking as neat as all the rest of this," Aaron said, grinning. He grabbed a pear from the table and munched on it, still looking around the room with awe.

"What are you doing back here? Garet said that all of you ate packed lunches outside everyday," Mia said.

"We were worried about you," Aaron admitted. "Even though you didn't say anything about where you come from, we knew you were a noble lady because of that jewelled bracelet you wore. We didn't think you'd be used to living in a little cottage and cleaning for us."

Mia laughed uneasily. "Well, I certainly proved you wrong, didn't I?"

Aaron smiled up at her. "Yes, you did, and I'm glad. I want you to get used to staying with us. Come with me."

He pulled her out of the cottage and towards the empty pen beside the stable.

"This is where Marli and Wendy live. Fluffy's the pony in the stable. Ivan looks after them, and all other animals that come around here."

"Marli and Wendy?" Mia repeated.

"Our goats. You drank their milk last night," Aaron said. "Ivan brings them out to graze everyday, and calls them when it's time to come home." He then pointed to the wooden shed on the other side of the cottage. "That's where we keep our tools, for work."

"It may seem rude of me to ask, but… what do you do?" Mia asked.

"You mean, for work? We're miners," Aaron explained. "Well, sort-of miners."

"Sort of?"

"There's a mine not far from here, in the forest. Nobody knows who built it, or why it's there. It has metal ores, coal and gemstones inside, strangely enough. We usually earn just about enough to feed ourselves," Aaron said. He pulled Mia to the back of the cottage and further down, to a second clearing.

In it was a sort-of garden. Flowers and other plants grew in wild little bunches, and vegetables grew in neat rows. A section was cornered off, likely for corn. Bees and butterflies flitted around. The place was large enough grow crops for the seven, and a little bit more.

"Apart from mining and goat-milking, we have these crops. Isaac and Felix tend to these," Aaron said. "Jenna and I work the fires for metalshaping, and Garet mostly does all the heavy stuff, and Master Kraden just hops about doing whatever he can. There, that's all about us."

"Why…" Mia started, then shook her head. "No, I shouldn't ask."

"What is it?" Aaron questioned. "You can say anything to me, I promise I won't tell the others!"

"It's… probably none of my business, but… Why do you live here?" Mia asked softly. "Why not stay in a village or a town somewhere?"

Aaron leaned against a tree. "Frankly, I don't know. I've always lived here for as long as I can remember. It was Garet who brought me here."

"Garet? He is… your brother?"

"Yes."

"What about your parents?"

"I don't think we have any," Aaron said in a cheerful voice. "But I have Garet, and he has me, and we have everyone else. And now, we have you. That's enough."

Mia looked at his happy, contented face. It was clear that he loved his big family, and they loved him too.

"Thank you for letting me stay here," she said softly. Aaron gave her a sudden hug.

"It is not a burden. We do want you to stay," he insisted. "I know Felix and Jenna may seem a little cold, but it's only because Felix is overprotective of us all. He's always worried that something may happen to any of us. And Jenna gets her wariness from him. But once they get used to you, it'll all be all right. You'll see."

Mia hugged him back. "Thank you, Aaron."

His smile was bright, friendly, and warm. "No matter what happens, you're my family now."

_Family._

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"What the… Did we walk in the right door?" Garet exclaimed. Kraden's jaw dropped in surprise.

"Shoes off, please," Mia said firmly, but she was smiling. "Dinner's all ready."

The seven trooped into the room, leaving their footwear outside, and gave cries of astonishment at the transformed room, while releasing sighs of delight at the feast placed on their table.

The seven ate heartily, for they were hungry after their usual long day. When they were finished, Mia stood to clear away the dishes. The others nodded their thanks and then went about their separate ways, doing Mia-knew-not-what before they went to bed. When she was done with the cutlery, she headed to the stable, and found Ivan there grooming Fluffy.

"Are you really going to sleep in the stable again?" he asked.

"It's comfortable, and I don't mind," Mia said. "Besides, Fluffy likes the company. Don't you?"

Fluffy tossed her head. _Whatever you say._

Ivan chuckled. "Isaac will have a bed ready for you soon. For now, do you want a blanket or something?"

_A blanket…_ "When I woke up this morning, I found one on me. Do you know who brought it out?" Mia asked curiously.

Ivan looked thoughtful. He placed a hand on Fluffy's head, and circles of white light suddenly appeared around him.

Mia stared at him, amazed.

"The apple giver. I might have known," Ivan said with a soft laugh.

"You're an Adept?" Even as she spoke, she realised that it shouldn't have been that big of a surprise, since they knew Laurel. She just didn't think.

"I'm a Jupiter Adept. I have the power to control the wind, and read minds," Ivan said. Seeing the expression on Mia's face, he grinned. "Don't worry, I won't read your mind unless I have permission, or there's an emergency of some sort. Your secrets are safe from blackmail."

Mia laughed. "So all of the others are Adepts, too?"

"Yes. Isaac, Felix and Master Kraden are Venus Adepts, who work with the earth and plants. Jenna, Garet and Aaron are Mars Adepts, who control fire. You're a Mercury Adept, right?"

"Yes, I am."

"What abilities do you have?" Ivan asked.

"I can freeze things, make rain, and heal small wounds. The woman who taught me to cook showed me how," Mia explained.

"Sounds useful." Ivan gave Fluffy one last pat on the rump. "All right, I'm going to bed now. Good night, Mia."

"Good night, Ivan."

But despite her long day, Mia did not feel like sleeping yet. She tossed and turned on the straw for a few minutes before she stood and went to the back of the cottage.

There were several large rocks there that she had seen earlier. Stepping on them, she climbed onto the thatched roof of the cottage and stood there, enjoying the wind that caressed her face and hair. For a moment, it was like she was back in Queen Marian's tower room.

Mia sat down on the straw and looked up into the sky. The stars were twinkling by the thousand, looking more beautiful than any diamonds from the treasury. They reminded her of sunlight on snow and water, sparkling brightly.

"Can't sleep?"

She jumped at the sound, and turned to see Isaac leaning out of what looked like a window in the roof. He laughed at her surprise.

"We open it every night to let in fresh air," he explained. "It's right above my bed, so I'm usually the one to open it."

He climbed out onto the roof and sat down beside Mia. A tree suddenly grew right up to the roof, and Isaac plucked two apples off it. He tossed one to Mia, and she bit into the soft, juicy flesh with much pleasure. Remembering what Ivan had said about the 'apple giver', she stared at Isaac sharply. He was looking up at the stars as she had done. For a while, they sat in silence.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" Isaac said softly. "No matter where you go, the nightsky is always the same."

There was a faraway look in his eyes.

"Aaron probably told you quite a bit about us today, didn't he?"

"How did you…?"

"You probably couldn't resist asking questions, and he loves to please," Isaac said. Mia blushed, wondering if that was a rebuke.

"I'm sorry," she said contritely. Isaac shook his head.

"You didn't do anything wrong. In fact, I think you should know about us." He stared at her thoughtfully for a while.

"As you probably already know, we are Adepts. In this world where Alchemy is disappearing, Psynergy-less humans exist in greater number. To them, Psynergy is something they cannot understand, so they despise and fear it. They despise and fear Adepts.

"All of us here were banished from our birthplaces. Young Adepts cannot control their powers; once you unleash it in front of others, they would know what you are. And they would fear that you would lose control one day, destroying them and all they love."

He paused to take breath. "There was a massacre here in Angara seven years ago. The humans tried to kill every Adept they could find, to try to wipe out Psynergy. Most adepts used their Psynergy to flee to other lands, because they were heavily outnumbered. Homes were burnt, adults were killed, children were rarely spared."

Mia listened in silent horror. None of this had been spoken of in Imil. Minnie had never mentioned anything like that. Queen Marian had once told her to keep her Psynergy hidden as much as possible, but she had never known why. Now… she wanted to cry for the others of her kind that had suffered through the ignorance of human beings.

"Master Kraden did not flee. He stayed, because he knew that there would be young Adepts who would need help. He saved us. All of us. When we had lost our homes, our families, he took us in. He brought us here to Kolima Forest, where Tret and Laurel protect us. And we have been living here ever since, mining and farming to earn our keep. Once a week, one or two of us would drive our purchases to Bilibin to sell, buy and trade at their free market. Otherwise, our contact with the outside world is minimal."

Isaac looked at her sadly. "This is why Felix and Jenna were so hesitant to have you stay. They were worried that you would jeopardize this life that we have built for ourselves. Even when they learnt that you were an Adept, like us, the fact remains that there is someone after your life. If that someone chased you here, and found us, we would probably have angry humans after us once again.

"You do not have to feel guilty, because you have done nothing wrong. I only ask that you understand Felix and Jenna. In time, they will learn to accept you. So please, consider this your home."

"I understand," Mia said. "I had not known that such a tragic event had happened, and if it had happened to me, I would not be so quick to trust either. Besides, neither Felix nor Jenna have done anything against me. I only wish that I could do something to alleviate the pain of the suspicion they are going through."

Isaac gave her a swift smile. "Thank you for your understanding."

"But I don't understand something," Mia continued. Looking straight at Isaac, she asked, "Why are you being so kind? Why take in an extra mouth to feed, when I can do nothing to bring in food for this family?"

Isaac smiled. A warm, comfortable, friendly smile. "You don't need a reason to help people, do you?"

He leaned back against the straw. "If you really need a reason, well… First of all, you're a fellow Adept in need of help. We could never turn you away. Secondly, Laurel sent you to us. She would never have done so if you had intended any harm. Thirdly, we really do need a cook and housekeeper. Most of us used to take turns doing them, but none of us were really good at it."

He smiled again. "You've been so brave. Losing your home, your familly, and your friends… Everything you believed in. You even went through the pain of betrayal. Many would have given up in despair if they were made to face what you have faced. But you didn't. You ran through the forest, trusting Laurel, believing that things will get better."

_He knew her. He understood her._ Tears filled Mia's eyes.

"That strength and courage is amazing, and we admire you for it. I knew, the moment that I saw the jewelled bracelet, that the person who had eaten our bread was someone with a conscience, rather than a common thief. I knew, the moment that you offered us breakfast, that our guest had a good heart and did not fear hard work. How could we send someone like that away?"

The teardrops were falling fast now. Mia had cried tears of despair to Laurel, and tears of sadness to Fluffy, but these were tears of gratitude and happiness. Isaac looked a bit uncomfortable when she started sobbing, as if he did not know what to do, but he patted her on the back kindly.

"T-thank you. Thank you so much…"

"The worst is over. You are one of us now," Isaac said. "We'll look after you."

That night, up on the roof, Mia smiled in her sleep for the first time in many years. Isaac covered her with a brown woollen blanket and left her dreaming under the stars.

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March 18, 2009

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Phew. So that was the second chapter. Liked it? Hated it? Suggestions?

Daidairo


	3. Chapter III: Sash

The Adepts of Kolima Forest

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AU. Snow had always felt so alone since her mother passed away. Her father had gone to fight in the war, and her stepmother had never seemed to love her. Now, she wanted to kill her. So she escaped to a cottage hidden deep in the forest of Kolima, not knowing that among the seven Adepts, she would find true friendship and forge bonds strong enough to save the world.

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Written for Raitei, this is a second tale from the collection of Golden Sun Fairytales we are going to make. Heaven help us finish writing our long fics that are always being left alone because we procastinate. ^^;

I don't own Golden Sun, nor do I own Snow White.

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_  
That night, up on the roof, Mia smiled in her sleep for the first time in many years. Isaac covered her with a brown woollen blanket and left her dreaming under the stars.  
_  
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Chapter III: Sash

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Mia lifted the large bedsheet and hung it over the washing line. Stepping back, she nodded with satisfaction at the now spotlessly clean laundry that stood in rows outside the cottage.

Two palm-sized creatures came flying through the air towards her.

"We've put the utensils away!" they called in light, tinkling voices.

"Thank you," Mia said, smiling at them.

The djinn had suddenly appeared at the cottage three nights ago. The seven adepts had welcomed them warmly, and introduced Mia to them.

_"Djinn are elemental creatures, beings of psynergy. These little guys are the last members of our little family,"_ Kraden had explained.

According to Ivan, they had been away on their annual activity, where the djinn would fly to the center of Weyard and call out for each other. Originally, only Salt and Flint had lived in the Kolima Forest, but over the years, the others came to join them.

The djinn had very little memories of their past. No one could tell how they came to exist, or why they were separated. But each of them knew, somehow, that they were supposed to gather everyone together.

It seemed like an unbelievable fairytale at first, and Mia had been struck speechless at the sight of the magical beings, flitting around excitedly. It didn't take long for her to get used to them; for the djinn were amusing, friendly creatures that flitted around her, either aiding her, or attempting to aid her. Needless to say, they were excellent at getting into little bits of trouble.

She took them indoors, where they were joined by Gust, who had been arranging the chairs neatly around the table. The three djinn soon began to demand cheese, and Mia laughingly put down a plate for them.

Though the djinn didn't seem to need to eat, they had an obssession with cheese.

"I wonder what is supposed to happen when all the djinn gather?" she asked aloud.

"Wuh've no ord'eea," Salt said, his mouth full.

"There's no point in worrying about it, really," Gust added.

"Much better to think about awesome cheese like this," Crystal agreed. They continued digging in, and Mia shook her head, her eyes full of laughter.

They were such happy creatures. Never a worry, never a care.

She wished she could be like them.

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The days passed peacefully with a simple routine. Every morning, Mia would get up and cook breakfast for everyone. With several djinn at her elbows, she would also pack lunch for the seven adepts. When they awoke, everyone would sit together at the table to have breakfast, while the djinn attacked whatever cheese Ivan would consent to give them.

After breakfast, Ivan would feed Fluffy and take the goats out to graze before joining the others. Isaac and Felix would visit the garden to weed and water, while Garet, Jenna and Aaron headed to the mines first. Kraden would leave some work for Mia to do, before he too headed off. Salt, Crystal and Gust stayed at home to help Mia with her work, while Cannon, Forge, Torch, Flint, Iron and Echo went to the mines to aid the others.

Mia washed the breakfast things, then started on the laundry. Curtains and bedsheets didn't need to be cleaned everyday, so the clothes alone were easy enough to manage. After that, she would settle down to a quick lunch (cheese for the djinn), before she swept and dusted the cottage. Then she cleaned the stable and goat-pen, putting clean straw in it and clearing manure away.

After that, Mia would sit in the house and read the books that Kraden had left for her. The Queen had stopped her education when she was eight, so there was quite a lot that Kraden could teach her, especially about alchemy and its history. With the djinn perched on her head and shoulders, she would read for an hour or two, before preparing dinner for everyone.

When the adepts came home, they would all eat. Ivan always came back slightly earlier, having fetched Marli and Wendy to milk them. He would also prepare Fluffy's hay, so that when the others returned, they could leave Fluffy happily munching as they went in to dinner.

After dinner, Mia and Aaron would wash up. Ivan would go to groom Fluffy, Isaac and Felix fixed anything that needed fixing, Garet would grab fruits for dessert, and Jenna would build a fire in the bedroom to warm it for the night. They took turns to bathe in the stream outside.

Just before they slept, Kraden would bring books to Aaron and Mia, and give a short lecture on different topics. The other adepts joined them whenever they felt like it, and were very helpful in reminding Kraden that he had 'talked enough'.

It should have been boring to lead such a routine life, but Mia loved it. Every day, there was something new for her to learn. She listened to Felix talk about wood, as Isaac spoke of the plants and the earth. Jenna taught her the beauty and strength of fire. Garet and Aaron brightened up the days with their antics and jokes, while Ivan brought them closer to the animal kingdom. Mia even learnt a bit about the coal, metals and gems which they brought back from the rather-miraculous-mine.

The days was pleasant and peaceful, and the story should have ended here. But there were times when Mia's thoughts flew to one man, leading an army in the north, struggling to keep his people safe.

War was still going on.

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"It's marketday tomorrow. What are you going to do, Mia?" Jenna asked, sitting down on her bed with a thump.

"Marketday?" Mia echoed, climbing onto a similar bed beside Jenna's.

"Every fortnight, Bilibin has a small open market for anyone who wants to sell their wares," Isaac explained. "At the same time, we could purchase anything that we need and can't grow."

"Like bigger clothes for Aaron. He seems to be expanding every year," Garet said.

"I don't want to hear that from a giant like you!" Aaron said crossly. "Why, you're much bigger than two of me put together, and…"

Garet grabbed his brother and wrapped him tightly in a blanket. Aaron kicked out and hit Ivan by accident, and soon pillows were flying across the room.

Then one stray pillow hit Felix in the face, who had just climbed up the stairs to their bedroom, and he glared at the other adepts, who were grinning guiltily.

"If anyone's pillow goes missing, it's your own fault," he said. Jenna laughed and threw another pillow at her brother. Felix stretched out a hand and caught it in midair, before stuffing it under his own blanket.

"Hey, that's mine!" Aaron protested, sticking his head out from the roll of blanket he was caught in.

"Too bad."

Mia chuckled. At first, it had seemed like Felix was nothing but a piece of wood. Always serious, always straightfaced, never a smile or a laugh. But after she had healed Jenna's sprained ankle (Jenna had fallen from a tree while picking acorns), Felix had become a lot friendlier, even if his smiles were still very rare. He even made a bed for her without being prodded by Kraden. Jenna had opened up to Mia, too, so that the original feelings of awkwardness no longer existed.

"Feeeeeeeelix!! Gimme back my pillow!"

"No."

"Felix!!"

"No."

"Hahaha! Say the magic word, Aaron!"

"…Please?"

"…All right."

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Early next morning, Mia prepared breakfast as usual. After eating, Jenna insisted that the cottage wouldn't collapse if no one dusted it for a day, and that the laundry could wait, so by the time the sun was comfortably in the middle of the sky, the two girls were perched on top of a cart with sacks of their goods behind them, on the road towards Bilibin.

The farms lying around looked the same as they did two weeks ago, when Mia had first rode past them. The people around waved to them as they passed, and Jenna waved cheerily back. Both girls were wrapped in travelling cloaks and hoods, but the people were used to seeing Fluffy as well as the cart.

The quietness of the forest seemed far away as they entered the noisy little town, filled with sounds of people and other animals. It had been such a long time since Mia had seen a town, and part of her felt like running away. But she pulled her cloak more closely around her, observing everything with bright eyes, and soon excitement overrode the bit of fear in her.

"Here we are," Jenna said at last, stopping by an empty space next to a fruit vendor. She leapt down and began to unload the cart. Mia unhitched Fluffy and tied his reins to a hook in the wall behind them. Jenna then took a small, brown moneybag from the bottom of the cart and handed it to Mia with a small piece of parchment.

"You take this and walk around. Get to know where the stalls are," Jenna said.

"But what about…"

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Cannon will stay with me." The Mars djinn nodded enthusiastically. "Have fun exploring! And get yourself another set of clothes!"

"Oh, I couldn't possibly! I…"

"Master Kraden's orders!!" Jenna grinned. "You've earned it, cooking and cleaning for us all this time. Go, enjoy yourself!"

She pushed Mia forward. The Mercury adept took a deep breath and clutched the moneybag tightly under her cloak.

Then she went shopping.

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The Queen twirled around happily, the ruby red skirts of her new dress flowing around her like ripples of water. She sat down gracefully on her new bed, stroking the soft velvet ribbon at her bosom. Then she looked up at her reflection in the mirror, turning her face this way and that.

Smiling, she spoke the way she did every day.

"Mirror, Mirror, on the wall,

Who in this land is fairest of all?"

Sheba's face appeared, and she prepared to give the same answer she did everyday. But her eyes widened suddenly, and she looked up in surprise. Her odd reaction caught the Queen's eye, and she stood.

"What is the matter?" she demanded. "Answer me! Who is the fairest of us all?"

Sheba covered her lips with her hands. It wasn't possible. Her powers had not sensed her since that terrible day.

"Answer me, Mirror!"

"You, my Queen, are fair; it is true.  
But sweet young Snow is fairer than you," Sheba replied miserably.

The Queen's face grew pale. Her eyes were wide, her lips were white, and she stumbled onto the bed.

"It… it cannot be…" she murmured. "Is it her spirit, back to haunt me?"

"No," Sheba said, hating herself. "It is her in the blood and flesh. She is alive and well, in the market of Bilibin."

The surface of the mirror shone with a violet light, then revealed Mia in front of a soap vendor. As the wind blew her hood back, it was obvious to those who knew her that this was the face of Princess Snow.

"Alive…?" The Queen murmured. Then her eyes contorted with rage. "You lied to me, Mirror! You said she was dead!"

She raised a heavy silver candlestick in one hand.

"I-I said I could no longer sense her!" Sheba cried out, anxious to appease the Queen. She could not let the mirror be destroyed. Not yet. "She… she must have been hidden by other powers!"

The Queen stopped. The candlestick was lowered. "Other powers?"

"Yes."

"Explain."

"My… my powers are of the Jupiter nature. It is possible that she has been hiding under Venus powers, which directly oppose Jupiter," Sheba said. "It is the only explanation. I have no control over those with Venus energy."

"I do not understand this nonsense," the Queen said, scowling. "Whatever Venus may be, that little chit is still alive, is she not?"

Sheba nodded miserably.

"This time, _I_ shall make sure she dies!"

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"She seemed a little scared at first, but it didn't look like she wasn't used to the market," said Jenna thoughtfully. "I mean, if she were one of 'em ladies, she wouldn't ever have bought anything on her own, would she? Yet she handled those vendors nicely, with a smile and a firm nod. Didn't get cheated at all."

"But that jewelled bracelet she wears clearly does not belong to a peasant," Ivan said, rubbing his nose with a finger.

"That makes it even more suspicious," Felix said.

The three of them were sitting in front of the kitchen fire, sipping warm milk. Garet, who had just entered the cottage with Kraden, frowned.

"Aren't you through being wary of her?" he asked. They looked up, slightly startled.

"Yes, of course not," Jenna assured him. "It's just that, well… Don't you ever get curious about her? And her background?"

"Her speech is refined, like a noble's. She wears a jewelled bracelet, like a noble's. Yet she wore plain clothes when she arrived, and she cleans and cooks, which I'm sure a noble doesn't do," Ivan said.

"She is very unusual," Felix agreed. "It is obvious that she is hiding something."

Kraden sighed. "Which one of you has told her your life story?"

There was silence.

"Exactly. Everybody has secrets in their past that they would rather not reveal. Kindly refrain from judging someone based on information you do not have," he said sternly. "Now, if there is nothing else important, I'm going to sleep. It's been a looooong day."

Yawning, he trotted up the stairs.

"He's right. She's one of us now," Garet agreed. "It doesn't matter where she comes from. So no more silly chatter-around-the-fire behind her back! Got that?"

Jenna chuckled. Ivan grinned. Even Felix managed a small smile.

Rising, they went up to bed.

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"Nobody knows _what_ exactly they are. This is the only book I have that records the existance of the djinn. What we do know is that they thrive on psynergy, and only people with psynergy can see them," Kraden said. He placed the book in Mia's lap and flipped the page, pointing to the four sketches beautifully drawn in it.

"You mean, they feed off psynergy from adepts?" Mia asked, surprised. She had never felt any of the djinn draining her energy, or anything of the sort.

"No, not exactly. They take in energy from the forces of nature: earth, fire, water and wind. But they can utilize special powers when backed with psynergy from an adept. Alone, it is far more difficult for them to activate their power," explained Kraden.

"I see…" Mia stared at the drawings for a moment. Then she looked up. "People without psynergy cannot see djinn? Why not?"

"They do not have the affinity for it. It is why only adepts can see psynergy," Kraden clarified.

"But… Some time ago, I saw a Mars adept using his powers to eat fire. If only adepts can see the flames, what is the point of…"

"No no, you misunderstand. Humans can see what psynergy creates. The rings of psynergy that appear around that Mars adept would be invisible to them, but the flames that he casts are real enough," Kraden said. "That is why…"

He trailed off suddenly.

"Why…?" Mia repeated.

"It is nothing." Kraden smiled faintly. Then he stood up. "It is getting late. We should go to bed."

Not entirely satisfied, Mia closed the book obediently and handed it to Kraden. As she lay in her soft, warm bed that night, her thoughts flew to Kraden's words.

_"That is why…"  
_  
Why… what…?

No suggestions came to mind, but the words kept on replaying themselves in her ears. Feeling rather annoyed, Mia pushed back her brown cotton blanket and climbed out of bed. Stepping quietly past the sleeping adepts, she reached for the window in the roof and climbed out as noiselessly as she could, careful not to step on Isaac as she did so.

The sky was cloudy that night, so most of the stars seemed to be hidden. Mia sat and gazed at the masses of grey, wondering if it would rain.

"What am I going to do about the laundry if it rains… Why what… _Stop that!_ …Should I prepare boiled eggs instead of bread, so they can have something warm to eat tomorrow morning? Why… _Oh, stop thinking about that already!!_"

"Mia?"

She jumped in fright, then turned. Isaac was leaning out of the window, staring at her strangely.

"Um… did I wake you with my silly talk?" she asked sheepishly. Isaac gave a soft chuckle.

"I only heard some of it," he said, climbing nimbly out and sitting down beside her. "Is something bothering you?"

"It's… just something Master Kraden said. I can't seem to get it out of my mind," Mia confessed. In a few sentences, she explained what Kraden had said before they went to bed. Isaac stared at his bare feet.

"It's true that normal humans cannot see our psynergy being used," he said at last. "Imagine how it would feel, staring at someone who looks normal… who suddenly starts throwing fireballs around. It frightens them."

"…Because they cannot understand it?" Mia said quietly. Isaac nodded.

"They don't see how it happens. At first sight, they can't tell the difference between a human and an adept. Or, as some of them imagine, the difference between a friend and a foe."

They sat in silence for a while, both deep in their thoughts.

"Don't worry too much about it," Isaac said at last. "It does no one any good to fret about something you cannot change. Maybe one day, the humans will learn to accept us for who we are. But for now, it is better to hide our true identity as adepts."

He gave Mia a pat on the back.

"Go to sleep. You need rest."

She nodded. With a melancholy smile, she climbed back into the cottage after him.

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"I'm okay! *cough* It's just a *cough cough* little…"

"No, it is not," Felix said sternly. "You lie down now."

Mia took Jenna's hand in hers. "I don't know much about healing illnesses, but… I'll try my best," she said.

"I don't… *cough* need…"

"Shut up. You're making your throat worse by talking," Felix said. Mia closed her eyes and concentrated. Rings of psynergy appeared around her, and a small blue ball of light appeared from her hand.

It flitted to and fro above Jenna, dropping little sparkles of white light that floated gently downwards, disappearing as they touched the coughing Mars adept. When the blue ball dissipated, Jenna gave a huge sigh and closed her eyes.

"Better?" Mia asked anxiously.

"Yes, thanks. It doesn't feel so painful now," Jenna replied.

"I wish I could cure you completely, but I suppose my powers aren't strong enough yet," Mia said regretfully.

"Don't blame yourself for this," Ivan said at once. "It's not your fault that Jenna is sick."

"You've already helped a lot. Thank you," Felix added.

Mia smiled faintly at them, but part of her still felt guilty about not being able to do more. She hated to see Jenna lying in bed, her face pale and her lips white, coughing distressingly.

Just then, Garet came running up the stairs, a bowl in his hands.

"Master Kraden brewed the herbs that Isaac picked into this. You have to finish drinking it, Jenna," he said.

Jenna groaned, then wished she hadn't.

"Be good," Felix warned. Scowling faintly at her brother, she sat up, and Garet lifted the medicine to her lips.

"I think she should stay at home and rest today," Mia said, watching her.

"What? No!" Jenna protested.

"You're not going anywhere. Stay here and sleep," Felix ordered.

"But…!"

"S'okay, let her be," Garet said brightly. "After all, if her sore throat gets worse from her running about, I get to eat her share of strawberry cake!"

Jenna glared at him. "Oh, you think so?"

She grabbed the bowl from Garet and drank the medicine in several huge gulps, then thrust the empty bowl back at him. Then she lay down and pulled her blanket around her.

"I'm not going to let you eat MY cake," she said smugly, before rolling over and closing her eyes.

Felix raised his eyebrows. Garet sighed in mock defeat, then took the bowl downstairs, grumbling loudly. Mia and Ivan exchanged glances, then giggled, before they too left to allow Jenna her quiet rest.

The other adepts were sitting in the kitchen.

"Well, who's going to go to market?" Kraden asked. "We're running out of soap, flour, eggs…"

"Me! Me! Let me go!" Aaron said, jumping up.

"You're too young," Garet said immediately. "You'd only get the prices wrong, or get cheated by the millman, or…"

"I'm _not_ too young! And it's not fair that I'm the only one who's never been to Bilibin," Aaron protested, pouting.

"Aaron, be good," Kraden said patiently. "You can go when you're older."

"But why?"

"You set some of Fluffy's straw on fire yesterday, didn't you?" Felix said bluntly. "You can't control your psynergy properly yet. It's not safe for you to go to Bilibin right now."

Mia clasped her hands tightly. There it was again. Restricting a young boy's movements, not allowing him to see the rest of the world, because he might be a danger to them. And because he might bring danger to his own people.

It wasn't fair.

"Mia, will you be all right alone?" Kraden asked.

"Yes."

"Then go. Try to be quick so that you can come back early and stay with Jenna."

"All right."

As she opened the door, she could see Aaron's dejected face. It followed her all the way to Bilibin.

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"Thanks very much, miss!" said the beaming woman, handing over the enormous sack of flour. Mia smiled back at her and took the flour. It was tremendously heavy, and she staggered over to the cart with it and the other goods she had bought. Dumping everything in, she checked her list again.

"Well, that's everything! So let's go home, Fluffy!"

She rehitched the pony to the cart, and took the reins. Then Fluffy trotted off briskly towards the Kolima Forest.

They passed many others on their way to the market. But as the number of people on the road dwindled as they drew near the forest, and as they stepped onto the forest path, all was quiet save the sound of Fluffy's hoofbeats, the call of the insects and the cries of birds.

The silence left Mia to her thoughts. Aaron, and the other humans… She recalled her life in the castle.

There were very few adepts there. Minnie and Uzume could use a little psynergy; and when they did, none of the others ever reacted strongly to it. Sometimes, they even requested it. Like when the senior footman's son broke his leg, he had begged Minnie to heal it. Minnie could only speed up the healing process a bit, but the footman had been very grateful for her help.

Why did other humans behave so badly towards adepts? Why could they not be as understanding and open hearted as the Imilians?

Absorbed in her thoughts, Mia did not notice someone in front of her until Fluffy whinnied and stopped. Surprised, she looked up.

A little woman was standing in front of them, wrapped in ragged brown robes and holding a large basket. She held out a hand imploringly to Mia.

"Please, won't you look at some of my wares?" she asked in a quavering voice. Mia hesitated. What was a single woman doing in the forest, all alone?

"Here, have a look!" the woman set down her basket and drew off the grey cloth covering it. Then she lifted a beautiful sash of white that glimmered softly in the sunlight.

Mia gasped. It was absolutely breathtaking. But…

"If you have something to sell, you should go to the Bilibin market. It's not far from here," she said.

"Oh, I tried. I tried, dear child," the woman shook her head sadly. The brown veil covering the bottom half of her face fluttered lightly. "But they didn't like me. They wouldn't believe that a poor, old woman like me could weave such wonders. They thought I had stolen it from some noble, and no one wants to buy stolen cloth."

She bowed her head. "They didn't trust me. No one trusts me."

Mia's heart went out to her. Just like the adepts, this woman was mistrusted by others. Just like the adepts, she was turned away because they didn't understand her talents. Just like the adepts, this woman was lonely…

She climbed down and went over.

"Won't you buy it, my dear? It will look so beautiful on you," the woman said. Bending her head lower so that her hood hid her eyes, she held out the white sash as if she were offering it to a goddess.

Mia took the sash in her hands. It was skillfully woven, smooth and silky. If a merchant had brought this to the castle, the Queen would have…

"I have no use for beautiful sashes, so… How about this, I'll sell it in Bilibin for you?" she suggested. Something flashed in the woman's eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it came.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you! You're a lovely, kind child," she said gratefully. "I made this sash, hoping someone with a beautiful soul would be able to wear it. Won't you please try it on?"

"But, I…" Mia trailed off doubtfully.

"Please. This is the best sash I've made in my whole life, and I'd like to see it adorn someone who deserves it. Won't you please try it on, just for a little while?" the woman pleaded.

Mia smiled. "Very well."

Holding the sash in both hands, she pulled it across her waist and tied it in a ribbon behind. The woman smiled.

When her hands left the sash, the ends of the ribbon fluttered in the breeze. The white cloth glimmered prettily.

Then it turned black. The fluttering ends seemed to take on a life of their own, flapping wildly, before they wrapped around the rest of her body and arms. The ring of cloth around her waist seemed to grow smaller, tightening, constricting…

Mia gasped. She reached for the knots at once, trying to loosen the sash, but her arms were immediately enveloped by more of the black cloth. She opened her mouth, but cloth flew to cover her lips.

She could not breathe. She could not move. It was like a cage, a cage from which she could not escape.

Fluffy reared upwards in fright at the disturbance, and ran off into the forest, dragging the cart noisily behind her. But the woman's eyes were on Mia, and she ignored the pony.

"This is the end that comes to all who put themselves against me!!" she declared in a loud, clear voice entirely different from the quavering croak she had been using a few seconds before. Mia's eyes widened as she recognised it.

"You may have escaped me the first time, but now, I shall have the pleasure of watching you die, _Princess Snow_!"

Darkness seemed to devour Mia in a heartbeat, and she collapsed to the ground in a heap. The Queen smiled triumphantly at the limp, unmoving body, then turned and stalked off.

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July 20, 2009

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Sorry it took so long to update. Liked it? Hated it? Suggestions?

Daidairo


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